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Mechanisms of Repeated Real-time Biofeedback With 7-Tesla MRI in Depression

29. oktober 2026 oppdatert av: University of Oxford

Previous work demonstrated that individuals are able to self-regulate their ventral tegmental area (VTA) activity using real-time biofeedback. The current study expands this approach to a larger sample with repeated training sessions to more robustly characterize the effects of VTA modulation. This mechanistic study will assess change in mood and motivation-related measures, as well as neural activity and connectivity changes.

Studieoversikt

Status

Rekruttering

Forhold

Intervensjon / Behandling

Detaljert beskrivelse

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the world's largest health problems with current treatments that are ineffective for a substantial proportion of individuals. There is a critical need for mechanistically informed interventions that are individualized and that aim to target core symptoms. Converging evidence from animal and human research in the field has implicated the ventral tegmental area (VTA), a key component of the brain's dopamine system, in regulating motivation and reward-related behaviour. Previous work has demonstrated that participants can successfully train to self-regulate their VTA activity using cognitive strategies while receiving real-time feedback. This shows that VTA self-regulation is feasible in humans. The current study builds on this previous work to further investigate the relationships between VTA activity modulation and mood and motivation related changes in individuals with MDD, in a mechanistic manner. Specifically, this study will aim to extend on prior findings by increasing the sample size and incorporating repeated training sessions. A total of 60 participants with MDD will be recruited and will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive either active biofeedback or sham (control) feedback. Participants will complete two training sessions with real-time 7T-MRI biofeedback. During functional MRI (fMRI) scanning, participants will be trained to use self-generated cognitive strategies to modulate their VTA activity while viewing a visual representation of their brain signal (active condition) or a yoked control signal (sham condition). The primary objective of this study is to determine how variation in VTA modulation is associated with mood and motivation related mechanisms that might change over time. Secondary objectives include assessing changes in VTA activation and functional connectivity over time, as well as examining how neural changes relate to mood and motivation-related changes.

Studietype

Intervensjonell

Registrering (Antatt)

60

Fase

  • Ikke aktuelt

Kontakter og plasseringer

Denne delen inneholder kontaktinformasjon for de som utfører studien, og informasjon om hvor denne studien blir utført.

Studiekontakt

Studiesteder

      • Oxford, Storbritannia, OX39DU
        • Rekruttering
        • Oxford Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging (OxCIN) FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, John Radcliffe Hospital

Deltakelseskriterier

Forskere ser etter personer som passer til en bestemt beskrivelse, kalt kvalifikasjonskriterier. Noen eksempler på disse kriteriene er en persons generelle helsetilstand eller tidligere behandlinger.

Kvalifikasjonskriterier

Alder som er kvalifisert for studier

18 år til 65 år (Voksen, Eldre voksen)

Tar imot friske frivillige

Nei

Kjønn som er kvalifisert for studier

Alle

Beskrivelse

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Male or female aged 18-65 years;
  • Meets DSM-5 criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD) as determined by the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 Axis Disorders (SCID) or the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI); with a current major depressive episode; as conducted in a research-based non-clinical setting.
  • Participants must have a level of understanding of the English language sufficient to agree to all tests and examinations required by the study and must be able to participate fully in the informed consent process.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Current or history of schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder, neurodevelopmental disorder, neurocognitive disorder or cognitive impairment
  • Active substance use disorder within the past 1 year;
  • Any unstable medical illnesses;
  • Women who are pregnant;
  • Any contraindications to MRI
  • Antidepressant medication initiated within 2 weeks of the Baseline Assessment and concomitant use of any other medication with central nervous system activity during active participation;
  • Active suicidal intent or plan.

Studieplan

Denne delen gir detaljer om studieplanen, inkludert hvordan studien er utformet og hva studien måler.

Hvordan er studiet utformet?

Designdetaljer

  • Primært formål: Grunnvitenskap
  • Tildeling: Randomisert
  • Intervensjonsmodell: Parallell tildeling
  • Masking: Dobbelt

Våpen og intervensjoner

Deltakergruppe / Arm
Intervensjon / Behandling
Eksperimentell: Active Biofeedback

The participants in the active group will receive repeated active biofeedback training sessions.

The active biofeedback session will be done within the 7T MRI. It will include MOTIVATE and active rest trials. During each MOTIVATE trial, subjects will be instructed to generate a heightened state of motivation. Subjects will simultaneously view a progress bar on the screen during MOTIVATE trials that represents their VTA activity and they will be trained to try to increase the level of the bar by motivating themselves.

Sham-komparator: Sham Biofeedback

The participants in the sham group will receive repeated sham biofeedback training sessions.

The sham biofeedback session resembles the active condition, however, the progress bar seen during the MOTIVATE trials will represent yoked sham values.

Hva måler studien?

Primære resultatmål

Resultatmål
Tiltaksbeskrivelse
Tidsramme
Mood and Motivation Related Mechanistic Measures
Tidsramme: Pre to post biofeedback training, within a 6-week timeframe.

A single composite metric will be derived by factor analysis of a battery of validated mood and motivation related instruments (e.g. PANAS-SF, POMS-SF, MAP-SR), providing one expected latent mood and motivation factor. Modelling the instruments jointly avoids nominating any single scale as the mechanistic outcome, and controls for multiple comparisons. Unit of measure: standardized latent factor score (z / SD units).

Pre to post biofeedback training, within a 6-week timeframe.
VTA Connectivity
Tidsramme: Pre to post biofeedback training, within a 4-week timeframe.

Functional connectivity between the VTA seed and whole-brain (voxelwise), measured with 7-Tesla fMRI. Unit of measure: Fisher z-transformed correlation coefficient.

Pre to post biofeedback training, within a 4-week timeframe.

Sekundære resultatmål

Resultatmål
Tiltaksbeskrivelse
Tidsramme
VTA Activation
Tidsramme: Pre to post biofeedback training, within a 4-week timeframe.

Blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signal in the bilateral ventral tegmental area (VTA) region of interest for MOTIVATE versus active rest trials, measured with task-based 7-Tesla fMRI. Unit of measure: percent BOLD signal change.

Pre to post biofeedback training, within a 4-week timeframe.
Association between change in VTA measures and change in the mood and motivation factor
Tidsramme: Pre to post biofeedback training, within a 6-week timeframe.

The standardized VTA activation and connectivity measure will each be tested for an association with change in the mood and motivation factor. One coefficient is reported per VTA measure. Unit of measure: standardized regression coefficient (dimensionless, from -1 to 1).

Pre to post biofeedback training, within a 6-week timeframe.

Andre resultatmål

Resultatmål
Tiltaksbeskrivelse
Tidsramme
Mood and Motivation EMA
Tidsramme: Pre to post biofeedback training, within a 6-week timeframe.

Single-item mood and motivation ecological momentary assessment (EMA). Unit of measure: arbitrary likert rating.

Pre to post biofeedback training, within a 6-week timeframe.

Samarbeidspartnere og etterforskere

Det er her du vil finne personer og organisasjoner som er involvert i denne studien.

Sponsor

Samarbeidspartnere

Etterforskere

  • Hovedetterforsker: Laurel S Morris, Dr, University of Oxford

Studierekorddatoer

Disse datoene sporer fremdriften for innsending av studieposter og sammendragsresultater til ClinicalTrials.gov. Studieposter og rapporterte resultater gjennomgås av National Library of Medicine (NLM) for å sikre at de oppfyller spesifikke kvalitetskontrollstandarder før de legges ut på det offentlige nettstedet.

Studer hoveddatoer

Studiestart (Antatt)

1. desember 2026

Primær fullføring (Antatt)

1. juni 2031

Studiet fullført (Antatt)

1. juni 2033

Datoer for studieregistrering

Først innsendt

4. juni 2026

Først innsendt som oppfylte QC-kriteriene

6. juli 2026

Først lagt ut (Faktiske)

9. juli 2026

Oppdateringer av studieposter

Sist oppdatering lagt ut (Faktiske)

3. november 2026

Siste oppdatering sendt inn som oppfylte QC-kriteriene

29. oktober 2026

Sist bekreftet

1. juni 2026

Mer informasjon

Begreper knyttet til denne studien

Andre studie-ID-numre

  • MS IDREC 879781
  • 226532/Z/22/Z (Annet stipend/finansieringsnummer: Wellcome Trust)

Plan for individuelle deltakerdata (IPD)

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Nei

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